Arsenal’s Resilience Downs Spurs in 1-0 Win

Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham in the North London derby highlighted their attention to detail, especially in set-pieces which proved decisive. Gabriel’s towering header from Bukayo Saka’s corner in the 64th minute sealed the win, marking Arsenal’s third consecutive triumph at Spurs. The Gunners were without key players Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice but their defensive resilience and tactical discipline compensated for their absence.

In contrast, Spurs stumbled. Despite a strong start and the advantage of facing a depleted Arsenal, their play declined with poor decisions and wasted chances. Cristian Romero’s weak defending on Gabriel’s goal and Spurs’ continued vulnerability to set-pieces having conceded 18 goals from such situations since last season emphasized their lack of progress in this area.

Ange Postecoglou’s refusal to employ a specialist set-piece coach contrasts with Arsenal, whose set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has overseen 43 goals from corners since 2021. The defeat extended Spurs’ poor league form with only one win in four games and their seventh loss in 11 matches. Despite improvements under Postecoglou compared to the defensive styles of José Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Spurs currently sit in 13th place leaving fans frustrated.

Meanwhile, Arsenal leveraged their set-piece strength and solid defense, closing the gap to two points behind leaders Manchester City ahead of their next showdown. The match ended with Arsenal’s joyous celebrations while Spurs were left to rue another missed opportunity against their fierce rivals.